In December I wrote about Ofcom deciding to sell off parts of the radio spectrum, a potentially bad thing for entertainment purposes.
The BBC have today posted a noteworthy article entitled spectrum plan threatens radio mic.

Plans to auction the spectrum could see theatres, festival organisers and broadcasters that rely on radio mics squeezed out by those with deeper pockets, such as companies offering mobile services.

Certainly something I’ll be keeping my eye on.

I watched Shaun of the Dead for the first time the other day. What a fantastic movie!

A film about a 29 year old who looses his girlfriend, encounters zombies, makes up with his mum and wrecks his favourite pub.
There’s a lot of sound effects used throughout the film, which work really well. It’s quite obvious that the sounds used throughout the film are a big part of the film and help in setting the various scenes. Very subtle, but they do the job.

Well worth watching if you’ve not seen it before.

I’ve just got back home from seeing Avenue Q at the Noël Coward theatre in London.

It is probably one of the best shows I have seen for a very long time! A show that even someone who doesn’t like theatre would enjoy.
Imagine a cross between the muppets and sesame street only more orientated to adult humour. With songs such as The internet is for porn, Everyones a little bit racist and If you were gay, I think you can get the general picture of the show.

Although those kind of songs may conjure gross and crude images, it’s all in jest and is actually a pretty funny story.
LIFE MAY SUCK ON AVENUE Q, but for a bright-eyed college graduate called Princeton, this is his new neighbourhood. A tiny bank balance and a variety of weird and wonderful friends and neighbours lead Princeton on a hilarious journey of self-discovery.

This show is well worth seeing if you get the chance. You’ll come out with a smile on your face and a few notable lines from the songs whirling around in your head!

[tags]theatre, funny, entertainment, puppets[/tags]

Ofcom has it in their mind to sell off analogue radio frequencies, this is why you see all those adverts enticing people to switch to digital TV and radio. Change is a good thing, but Ofcom don’t seem to understand the full impact that selling off analogue radio frequencies could cause.

“Ofcom has employed a firm of consultants to evaluate the way to dispose of the spare frequency, and all the indications are that Ofcom will release spectrum for sale at auction to the highest bidder … mobile phone giants such as, O2, Vodafone etc, are positioning to snap-up the RF to provide TV services on your mobile phones.”

Entertainment uses a lot of openly available radio frequencies for radio microphones, sounds systems, camera and video relay, lighting control and many other control and operation systems. Did you know that in any one west end theatre show, you’re looking at fourteen plus radio microphones? That’s fourteen different radio frequencies being used, not to mention show communications, sound system control, stage props and lighting control.

There’s also the other angle of entertainment. For instance, the Olympic games in 2004 in Athens utilised 527 radio microphones, 290 hand held radios and 423 talkback systems! Just how would the Olympic games here in the UK be affected in 2012 if we had no radio frequencies!?

The selling off of radio frequencies could have a major impact on the entertainment industry if it is allowed to go ahead. If we have to used wired systems, will these events take place? This not only has an impact on sound and noise related people in the industry, but also the other departments too. If a touring concert can’t take place due to the limitation of radio frequencies, that puts everyone involved with it, out of work; riggers, lighting, tour management, drivers, catering, pyrotechnicians, local crew, support acts, backing singers, dancers, photographers, security… I think you get the picture.
There’s also another important group of people that this affects and that’s you, the audience. If we can’t put on a performance, you won’t have anything to see, which in turn will affect the sales and popularity of artists and performers.

The British Entertainment Industry Radio Group have started to act for the masses and consult with Ofcom about the propsed sell off. If you want to join BEIRG and support this cause further, you can download an application form from their website.

I’m not quite sure why some vehicle insurance providers won’t give you a quote just because you select your job occupation as being Arts, Entertainment and Broadcast based.

So what’s different about us entertainment people?